Book your spring boating holiday at the best price! Up t 30% off on cruises in April and 25% off on departures in May 2025 (offer valid until 30/04 on a selection of cruises).

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Meuse

Rent a boat to navigate in the Ardennes on the Meuse

Crisboat - Expert in river boat rental for over 20 years

Current offers

Book your spring boating holiday at the best price! Up t 30% off on cruises in April and 25% off on departures in May 2025 (offer valid until 30/04 on a selection of cruises).
No licence, no experience, and completely safe
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Boat rental on the Meuse. Discover the highlights of this river cruise between Pont à Bar and Namur

From Pont à Bar, there are many routes available to you. You can head for Reims for a river cruise through the city, forest, countryside and lake. In the direction of Verdun to navigate by houseboat between nature and history or towards Namur to discover an exceptional natural heritage. This is the direction in which we propose to take you.

 

Let's go for 135 km of navigable waterways. On this navigation zone you can start your cruise at Pont à Bar. You will find a towpath throughout your journey so don't forget your bikes to enjoy it!

Meuse Image

Cities and villages to discover during your cruise

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La Roche à Sept-Heures In Monthermé, the Roche à Sept-Heures offers a breathtaking panorama of the large symmetrical loop that surrounds the town. D.Truillard
La Roche à Sept-Heures In Monthermé, the Roche à Sept-Heures offers a breathtaking panorama of the large symmetrical loop that surrounds the town. D.Truillard
The Citadel of Charlemont  This fortress overlooking the town was built by order of Charles V in the 16th century to protect the town. The Citadel is open to visitors and can be explored on its own thanks to a signposted route or on a guided tour during the season.
The Citadel of Charlemont  This fortress overlooking the town was built by order of Charles V in the 16th century to protect the town. The Citadel is open to visitors and can be explored on its own thanks to a signposted route or on a guided tour during the season.
The Ham-sur-Meuse tunnel 3 km south of Givet, this 564 m long tunnel was dug in 1880. It allows you to avoid a loop of the Meuse of several kilometres.
The Ham-sur-Meuse tunnel 3 km south of Givet, this 564 m long tunnel was dug in 1880. It allows you to avoid a loop of the Meuse of several kilometres.

Navigation conditions for licence-free boat hire on the Meuse

On the Meuse, all locks are mechanised and sometimes operated by lock keepers, which makes cruising easier. It is the ideal destination for those who want to experience the rhythm of the river through the locks.

 

To navigate the Meuse towards Namur, you will start your cruise at the base of Pont à Bar. Your boat will be ready on arrival. You will then be given a technical and practical presentation of the boat. You will be able to familiarise yourself with the manoeuvres and lock passages. All the boats can be driven without a licence and you can even take turns at the helm.

2 possible starting bases

The locks are manned by lock keepers. They are closed on some bank holidays.

Navigation on waterways in the Ardennes is quite easy and perfect for your first experience of boating.

You can moor anywhere along the banks in the heart of the countryside, except on the River Meuse where you have to use the designated moorings.

The Meuse River - our suggested cruises

Pont à Bar
round trip

Cruise 3 of nights
Monument

cruising route Pont à Bar / Monthermé / Pont à Bar

74 kms - 12 locks - 12 h of navigation

River Cruise Pont à Bar / Charleville - Sedan / Pont à Bar

54 kms - 10 locks - 9 h of navigation

Pont à Bar
round trip

Cruise 3 of nights

River Cruise Pont à Bar / Monthermé / Pont à Bar

74 kms - 12 locks - 12 h of navigation

River Cruise Pont à Bar / Charleville - Sedan / Pont à Bar

54 kms - 10 locks - 9 h of navigation

Pont à Bar
round trip

Cruise 4 of nights

River Cruise Pont à Bar / Laifour / Pont à Bar

112 kms - 20 locks - 19 h of navigation

Pont à Bar
round trip

Cruise 5 of nights

River Cruise Pont à Bar / Revin / Pont à Bar

112 kms - 20 locks - 19 h of navigation

Pont à Bar
round trip

Cruise 5 of nights

River Cruise Pont à Bar / Revin / Pont à Bar

112 kms - 20 locks - 19 h of navigation

Pont à Bar
round trip

Cruise 7 of nights
Monument
River constructions

cruising route Pont à Bar / Givet / Pont à Bar

184 kms - 34 locks - 31 h of navigation

Pont à Bar
round trip

Cruise 7 of nights

Canal Cruise Pont à Bar / Givet / Pont à Bar

184 kms - 34 locks - 31 h of navigation

Pont à Bar
round trip

Cruise 9 of nights

River Cruise Pont à Bar / Verdun / Pont à Bar

214 kms - 38 locks - 36 h of navigation

Pont à Bar
round trip

Cruise 10 of nights

River Cruise Pont à Bar / Berry au bac / Pont à Bar

204 kms - 80 locks - 43 h of navigation

Pont à Bar
round trip

Cruise 14 of nights
Monument
Swimming
River constructions

cruising route Pont à Bar / Verdun - Givet / Pont à Bar

398 kms - 72 locks - 67 h of navigation

Also to be discovered

The Canal des Ardennes

The Canal des Ardennes

Discover this destination
The Canal de l'Est

The Canal de l'Est

Discover this destination

Here is the list of possible cruises on the Meuse

Range Standard 4 0
Penichette 1120 R
Penichette 1120 R
-25%

€2,380 €1,785

From €298 / pers

Week of the 5/5/25 to 5/12/25

  • Max. people : 6
  • Cabins : 2
  • Bathroom & Toilet : 2
220V socket
Electric toilets
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Customer testimonials

Average : 4.6 étoiles 4.6/5 (based on 5 opinion)
 
4
Cruise carried out on Sep 22, 2017, Eau-Claire 1130Cruise : Pont à Bar round trip
"Very Good"
 
4
Cruise carried out on Apr 14, 2017, Eau-Claire 930Cruise : Pont à Bar round trip
"auto-translation :''Restful, pleasant''"
 
5
Cruise carried out on Aug 21, 2015, Sedan 1170 ACruise : Pont à Bar round trip
"auto-transaltion:"A complete change of scenery""
 
5
Cruise carried out on Aug 14, 2015, Eau-Claire 1130Cruise : Pont à Bar round trip
"auto-translation :"Very good and relaxing""
 
5
Cruise carried out on May 1, 2015, Eau-Claire 930Cruise : Pont à Bar round trip
"auto-translation :"Charming and very pretty landscapes""

Travelling with CrisBoat

Crisboat has more than 90% of the French fleet of self drive river boats. Entrust us with your desires and your availabilities and we will shape your holidays on the water. Located in the heart of the Vienne, Crisboat is the leader in self driver river boat rental in France. Discover our team, made up of 6 experts ready to take up the challenge to design the cruise that will meet your expectations.

Who are we?
Customer
Satisfaction: 4,5 / 5
20 years of experience
Wide choice of boats and destinations
Voyager avec Cris Boat

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The Meuse River

Givet

Givet

This town, situated on the border with Belgium, is very lively in the summer: Festival of military music, quayside festival, food and craft fairs and the Onion Fair. The Charlemont citadel, at the entrance to the town, was built by Charles V in the 16th century and consolidated a little later by Vauban. Part of this impressive citadel can be visited.

Fumay

In this former slate extraction basin, the tourist office offers routes to discover the remains of this activity. On a houseboat, you are the privileged guests of nature. Observe many very sensitive species such as the curlew, the corncrake or the meadow sparrow. This river cruise on the Meuse will also satisfy fishing enthusiasts. Between Carp, Pike-perch and Pike, the Meuse will enchant you with its fish population!

Laifour

In this small village located between Monthermé and Givet, a "bloody" spring gushes out. Indeed, red water comes out of this spring, because it runs through ferruginous rocks. This spring has given rise to many legends.

Monthermé

Monthermé

Your discovery of river tourism in the Ardennes will allow you to admire, on the heights of Monthermé, a magnificent panorama of the Meuse's twists and turns, well worth the diversions! On this site, the Meuse meanders between the foothills of the Vosges, to see these impressive viewpoints, you must go to the Roche de Sept Heures, the Longue Roche or the Roche aux Corpias.

Bogny-Sur-Meuse

Bogny-Sur-Meuse

The most famous monument in this former metallurgical centre is the site of the four Aymon sons. This 12th century legend was depicted in sculpture by Albert Poncin in 1950.

What is included / not included

The price of your charter includes

  • The rental of the boat
  • Fittings: equipment necessary for navigation
  • Crockery: in sufficient quantity for the number of passengers on board
  • Bedding*: sheets, blankets or duvets, pillows and pillow cases
  • Boat insurance
  • Navigation instruction and delivery of the yacht's card
  • Breakdown assistance available 7/7 during the base's opening hours
  • The navigation toll
  • A 13 kg gas bottle

* Beds made up on certain boats in the 5 star range

 

The price of your rental does not include

  • Cancellation insurance
  • Navigation guide
  • One way supplement
  • Deposit redemption insurance
  • The cleaning package
  • Cleaning kits, kitchen linen, towels**.
  • Deposit of 780 € to 3 250 €, depending on the boat
  • The navigation package. This includes all consumables used during your stay (oil, diesel, gas, etc.). Depending on the category of the boat, the package varies from 7 € to 22 € per hour of navigation.

** Included on some boats